Too many un-insured wannabee's

Just letting off a lil steam...

On my travels couriering up n down the country, it bemuses me the amount of people having a "go" at courier work who just dont bother with proper insurances (full h&r and git) using their personal cars to carry goods around for pennies per mile etc.

This leaves the genuine hard working couriers who have to spend in excess of £2000 just in insurances alone out 8 days a week just to break even at most.

No wonder the industry is on its knees and i daresay the practise of such operations will always be but i think one day this will come full circle and these people will catch a cold.

Rant over with...

Happy days

Can't disagree with that. I live in the second highest postcode for uninsured drivers of any kind of vehicle. It costs me and my wife a appreciable premium on our insurance costs . They should be confiscated, crushed - and the drivers too. Rant (part 1)

Regards

No disagreement from me either, I've just started up, but I've made sure I have the right insurances from the start. Better to spend the money and be properly covered than go for it on a wing and a hope, knowing if you get caught out, you're going to get more than a slap on the wrist.

I was routinely stopped by the police a few years ago and got talking to the officer and i asked him if they checked that people carrying goods were checked to see if they had the correct insurance.

His answer was NO they only check that the vehicle is insured on the MID Database but this does not show what cover is in force.
He did say that insurance was only checked in more detail in the event of an accident.

Also a few years ago an uninsured driver drove into the side of one of our vans and ran off, I went to the scene and the police officer then asked me to produce our insurance even though our van was parked at the time and no driver was in the vehicle. He even followed us back to the office to see the certificate for himself. No mention of catching the uninsured driver and we had to pay the excess.

I agree with you all I have got all my insurances in place before starting so yes crush there vehicles if not got proper cover it makes us all look like cowboys and that we do not want!

Surely it's the companies using these people who are to blame. They are turning a blind eye to insurance cover because they are getting deliveries on the cheap. 

yes they are but it will bite them on the arse when they try and claim for any damage! At least we insured drivers wont have that problem!

We had an electrician working in the office next door on Monday, He came in as said he's a bit quiet workwise have you any deliveries that need doing?

I said ok what experience do you have and what insurance cover.

He said "I like driving and can easily find addresses" I have insurance to drive my van.

I then eduated him on H&R Cover and he said yeah but no one will ever know.

I saidyes but i know, I then said would it be right for a friend of mine to do some electrical work, He knows what to

do but doesn't have and formal training of qualifications, buy hey no one will know!

HE SAID OK POINT TAKEN.

Nottingham & Derby Couriers said:

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We had an electrician working in the office next door on Monday, He came in as said he's a bit quiet workwise have you any deliveries that need doing?

I said ok what experience do you have and what insurance cover.

He said "I like driving and can easily find addresses" I have insurance to drive my van.

I then eduated him on H&R Cover and he said yeah but no one will ever know.

I saidyes but i know, I then said would it be right for a friend of mine to do some electrical work, He knows what to

do but doesn't have and formal training of qualifications, buy hey no one will know!

HE SAID OK POINT TAKEN.

It's an easy job, that's why lot's of people want to do it, start about 8am finish at 5pm and 1pm on a Friday, just sat in a van all day, easy peasy

Its not an easy job though I think you are like the engine you have so many miles in you and then you have had enough I dont enjoy the driving anymore I had enough by my late forties. I do about 30 miles a day now I dont get exited about long runs. It not an exiting job its not an easy job. It is a very bad job for you long term it can seriously damage you help its such apoor life style. I have a question for the owners controls and desk people. Although you may not actully do much behind the desk do you fell your lifestyle is healthier than when you were on the road?

I'm sure Gary's comment about 'easy' was a bit tongue in cheek.

I do think though, that 'normal' hours thing is what people struggle to get away from.

I agree it is not a healthy work choice, I am used to driving all over Europe, missing many proper nights sleep, even now I have a terrible sleep pattern, and can't remember the last time I managed to string more than a couple of consecutive hours together.

It is annoying when 'chancers' start up or continue to trade with incorrect insurances. The chances of getting caught in this country seems to be very remote with less and less Police cars, and socialists moaning about stop & search, even the Police are wary about stopping people to do checks for fear of being accused of 'other' motives.

It wont happen I know, but until a leader has the balls to bring in stiffer laws and penalties for misdemeanour's there will be many who couldn't care less and will continue to flount the law.

Thank you Alan, at least one person on here know's i was joking, some of it is easy, but a lot of it is unsociable hours missing a proper nights sleep, and no eating the healthiest of diets, Alan why don't you sleep more a couple of hours at a time is it because the phone rings or you just cant?

AJM sameday Couriers said:

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Thank you Alan, at least one person on here know's i was joking, some of it is easy, but a lot of it is unsociable hours missing a proper nights sleep, and no eating the healthiest of diets, Alan why don't you sleep more a couple of hours at a time is it because the phone rings or you just cant?

Thankfully although we still get the odd emergency call out it is not as often now. I sometimes just cant sleep, so I get up and find something to do. Always knackered though ... LOL but if I am really tired I will try and nap for an hour. I have been like it for years, Put up with it though as do not like taking sleeping pills etc that the GP prescribed.

Had a guy (wont call him a courier) turn up at home recently from Hermes ... Nowt wrong with that ... Id bought some stuff from one of the telly sales channels,

Bad attitude was his first impresiion when I opened the door. "Can you sign for this stuff" I was asked.. then things just went bad to worse when he snatche the paper work back after I signed for contents unexamined, he slammed the garden gate after I asked him to close it so the dog wouldnt get out.. It was this point I noticed he was walking back to a car I said " Do you have GIT and H&R insurance" to which he smurked and drove off in great haste to his next delivery... I wouldnt of asked as a rule... But it was like I need to say somthing after the Hermes parcel delivery mans bad approach to the job.

Not that Hermes was any better... It took them 10days to deliver a package It was said would be here in 5 working days by the TV sales people.

You expect to have something delivered for £5 then complain about the quality of the courier! Come on!

Isn't that the way of everyone nowadays tho? Expect a 1st class service at 2nd rate prices?

Dont you just hate cheeky flippin kids on mtvan...

You callin Barnsley a Kid?

It's not just delivery people with bad attitudes, I delivered some a few small parcels to a house, before I could say a word th old bag said what do you want, been doing this job ten years and never met anybody so rude, why are people like this.

Cos they lead insular lives, think of no one but themselves and think they're better than everyone else

I try and re educate them with my size 10 boot

Speed Couriers (Stansted) said:

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Cos they lead insular lives, think of no one but themselves and think they're better than everyone else

I try and re educate them with my size 10 boot

Hit nail on head

I always talk to people as i wish to be spoken to... You bunch of complete C.. C.. C.. C.. Couriers!

Could mtvan have a system that restricts alot of mtvan content until insurance details are updated?

Just Sayin!

That's a good idea that is... I like that one

How about some self regulation? It should be the industry players that lobby government to promulgate legislation that protects the industry and the consumers. Chemists, Pharmacists, Accountants have backing of legislation for their professions. There is a lot of mourning about newbie this and that, and maybe the oldbie should lead with this process using their experience. I have complied with my bit of paperwork, hope to get my first job soon. I have not found it that easy though.

Ashbel, i have noticed that you have GIT insurance of £2000000 are you sure that's enough

Thank you, I will check my zeros'.

Geez 'promulgate' is that a buzz word in some circles. I would have understood announce better.

Hermes "courier" arrived to deliver updated business cards and flyers this morning. Cheery chap, happy to be delivering to a fellow courier, ahem. Quite busy too with his 37 parcels crammed into his Skoda estate...... Didn't have the heart or the time to ask him if his hire and reward and goods in transit insurance quotes were competitive... At least he had the sense to re deliver today and not just hide them somewhere as I was out delivering yesterday.

Each to there own I guess but the big boys clients really should ensure that their chosen delivery agents are showing a duty of care by insisting that their "couriers" have proper H&R, GIT etc as part of their own customer care / promise. Then they might get the job done right so they don't get slaughtered in the press come January for ruining x amount of Xmas's with undelivered gifts. For every cheery chappie like I got, there will be 10+ like the one S.E.X.I got.

Oh, not that I want to multidrop for Hermes before anyone asks. Mind you, he was going to be finished for the day by 1pm.

DDR Sameday Courier said:

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Hermes "courier" arrived to deliver updated business cards and flyers this morning. Cheery chap, happy to be delivering to a fellow courier, ahem. Quite busy too with his 37 parcels crammed into his Skoda estate...... Didn't have the heart or the time to ask him if his hire and reward and goods in transit insurance quotes were competitive... At least he had the sense to re deliver today and not just hide them somewhere as I was out delivering yesterday.

Each to there own I guess but the big boys clients really should ensure that their chosen delivery agents are showing a duty of care by insisting that their "couriers" have proper H&R, GIT etc as part of their own customer care / promise. Then they might get the job done right so they don't get slaughtered in the press come January for ruining x amount of Xmas's with undelivered gifts. For every cheery chappie like I got, there will be 10+ like the one S.E.X.I got.

Oh, not that I want to multidrop for Hermes before anyone asks. Mind you, he was going to be finished for the day by 1pm.

They don't have the money on it they have to work this way the company has to use cheap people and cheap people don't care The reality is though they dont interfere with the same day industry so I dont know why people on this site worry about it . If you ordered a pairof shoes and amazon demanded a £300 delivery charge you would be kicking about that even more

Without shoes i'd be kicking nothing Bob

Ashbell & Stanley Couriers (Reading) said:

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How about some self regulation? It should be the industry players that lobby government to promulgate legislation that protects the industry and the consumers. Chemists, Pharmacists, Accountants have backing of legislation for their professions. There is a lot of mourning about newbie this and that, and maybe the oldbie should lead with this process using their experience. I have complied with my bit of paperwork, hope to get my first job soon. I have not found it that easy though.

It would be nice but we are not professionals we dont need to demonstrate the high level of competence to supply the public. The professionals you mention studied hard to get to where they are we just jumped in a van it is so long ago now I cant remember anyway. There is the haulage association , The NCA the Freight Forwarders associatoin who have a different name now I dont know. You can be a highly regarded professional its all down to the individual or company its down to us but we really must stop worrying about other people or cowboys and focus on being the best we can be everything else beond our control is irrelevant. This is a hard and difficult business and one lesson I have gained from it is effective time management worrying about everybody else will consume. I have seen people talk themselves into being so negative that they have given up. Think about what you have to offer and F%%k the rest of them

Your spellings got a lot better

Yes because I know what to do now when the squiggly line shows up right click and it will spell it for me

Lol... You're getting good at this... There is hope for you yet Mr Technogeek

Sends a massive round of applause to Barnsley! :-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxAKFlpdcfc

Very wise words Barnsley. I have been reading about the history of this industry on the Courier Institute website. You guys have come a long way.